rne on the shoulders of those nobles who had
remained with him to the last to his subjects in the city, whose
wailings over it were distinctly heard by the Spaniards; but where he
was buried, and with what honours, they never knew.

The Spanish general now called a council to decide as speedily as
possible the all-important question of the retreat. It was his intention
to fall back upon Tlascala, and once there to arrange according to
circumstances his future operations. There was some difference of
opinion as to the hour of departure; but owing to the predictions of a
soldier named Botello, who pretended to be able to read the stars, and
who announced that to leave the city at night would be for the good of
his comrades, though he himself would meet his death through it, it was
decided that the fortress should be abandoned that very night. After
events proved that Botello's prophecy was unfortunately only true as far
as he himself was concerned.

The general's first care was to provide for the safe conveyance of the
treasure. The soldiers had most of them converted their share into gold
chains or collars which could be easily carried about their persons. But
the royal fifth, with that of Cortes himself and his principal officers,
was in bars and wedges of solid gold.

That belonging to the crown was now given in charge to the royal
officers, with the strongest horse to carry it, and a special guard for
its protection. But much treasure belonging to the crown and to private
individuals was necessarily abandoned, and the precious metal lay in
shining heaps upon the floors of the palace. 'Take what you will of it,'
said Cortes to the soldiers; 'better you should have it than those
Mexican hounds. But be careful not to overload yourselves: he travels
safest who travels lightest.' His own wary soldiers took heed to his
counsel, taking few treasures, and those of the smallest size. But the
troops of Narvaez thought that the very mines of Mexico lay open before
them, and the riches for which they had risked so much were within their
reach at last. Rushing upon the spoil, they loaded themselves with all
they could possibly carry or stow away.

Cortes next arranged the order of march. The van consisted of two
hundred Spanish foot, commanded by Sandoval, with twenty other
cavaliers. The rest of the infantry formed the rear-guard under Alvarado
and De Leon, while the general himself took charge of the centre, some
of the heav